Skyward Dreams
by Lioness-Goddess
Summary: If your dream was able to come true, but at the price of leaving your family behind for an unknown time, would you do it? When two men from the International Fleet come for Donatello, he must make his own decision.


"**How is the recruitment project coming along?"**

"**We had over a thousand people playing the game. Only five got to the last level. And only one beat it." **

"**Contact him…is it a him?"**

"**Affirmative."**

"**Fine, then contact him and bring him to us. Coax him, threaten him, I don't care. Just get him."**

"**Yes sir." **

**-----**

Splinter stood in the middle of the dojo, his tail lashing slowly side to side, looking over his sons standing in a line before him. "My sons, today we will be working in pairs. Michelangelo and Leonardo, Raphael and Donatello." The rat stopped. "Where is Donatello?"

"He wasn't at breakfast, sensei." Leo supplied.

"He's probably playing that stupid game again!" Mikey complained. "He hardly ever comes out of his room anymore."

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "What game do you speak of, Michelangelo?"

"Donnie found this stupid online game a few weeks ago." Mike explained, "He hasn't done hardly anything else since he started playing."

"Well, there is a time and a place for games." Splinter said. "Leonardo, would you be so kind as to fetch Donatello for practice this morning?"

Leo bowed and headed to Don's room. "Donnie?" he called softly, rapping his knuckles on the door. There was no answer, and Leo pushed the door open. He smiled softly when he caught sight of his brother.

Donatello was sitting at his desk, his head resting on his arms, fast asleep. Leo stepped over to wake him up, and noticed the computer was still on. Curious, he leaned over his brother to see the screen. The screen was a blank glowing blue, except for flashing red letters going straight across.

Donatello. Congratulations. High Score.

This phrase repeated over and over. Leo thought nothing of it. It was not unlike Don to fall asleep playing at the computer. He grabbed the mouse and exxed out of the game, then shook his brother gently.

Don let out a disgruntled moan, then blinked his eyes open and looked at Leo. "Leo? What time is it?"

"Around seven." Leo said, "C'mon, you're late for morning practice."

Don glanced at the screen. "Aw, you killed the game?"

"You're getting obsessed with that game, Donnie." Leo said. "Take a break every now and then, you know?" Leo shook his head. "You and your computer. Come on, Splinter's waiting."

Don looked wistfully back at the computer before following his brother into the dojo.

"Don! Donnie!"

Don winced as Mikey's voice permeated the lair. His hand curled tighter around the mouse as he skillfully ignored his brother.

"DONNIE!"

Don rolled his eyes and decided to give in. He hit the pause button on the game, and his spaceships flying around virtual stars immediately froze. "What, Mikey?"

Mike's sheepish face appeared in his doorway. "Raph broke the DVD player."

"Raph did?" Don asked, amused.

"Well…I was kinda standing in front of him, casually suggesting that he might need to take more than one shower today, and he sort of lunged at me, and I sort of moved, and he sort of stepped on it."

Don shook his head, never ceasing to be amazed at his little brother's uncanny ability to piss Raphael off. "Alright, bring it in here. I need a break from this game anyway."

"Thanks Don!" Mike said, running into his room, the DVD player clutched protectively to his chest.

"Just don't make it an everyday thing." Don warned absent-mindedly.

Suddenly a loud high pitched keening noise was reverberating off the walls of the lair. Mikey screamed and jumped about three feet in the air. "What is that?"

"That's what we'd like to know!" Leo and Raph appeared in Don's doorway, covering their ears. "What's that noise?"

"It's the perimeter alarm!" Don said, raising the feed from his various video cameras hidden around the tunnels. "Someone is near the lair door."

"We'll just have to go discourage 'em." Raph ground out, pulling his sai.

"Wait, Raph." Leo said, placing a restraining hand on his brother's plastron. "Maybe…they'll go away. Let's just see what they want. Donnie, can you zoom in a little so we can see them?"

"Yeah." Don tapped a few keys, and a clearer picture came in. Two men in military dress were scanning the tunnel walls carefully, sometimes reaching out and touching it.

"They're looking for something." Mikey said.

"Yes," Don agreed, "Us."

"What makes you think that?" Leo asked nervously.

Don looked at him. "Um…they're touching sewer walls."

"Oh. Right."

"So can we go get rid of 'em now?" Raph growled, his muscles tense.

Leo pulled his katana. "Let's at least see what they want with us."

A blonde man with neatly trimmed hair slid his hands over the wall one more time, and sighed. "Sir, are you absolutely sure he lives down here?"

"Yes." His companion, an older man with higher ranks and more ribbons on his uniform answered. "Our sources have told us he's a bit unusual."

"How unusual?"

"Mutated turtle."

"Ah. Very unusual."

"Just keep looking."

There was no answer from the blonde, and the older man looked around, squinting into the shadows. His partner was nowhere to be found. "Walker? Walker, where are-" That was all he got out before he was hit over the head with something hard, and blacked out.

"Ohh…" the older man's eyes opened, but everything was blurred.

"What is your name?" The voice was soothing, and somehow the hardened captain knew it wasn't an enemy. "Captain John Stewart." He answered. He sat up, a hand pressed to his head. His vision was still blurred. "What happened?"

"I am afraid one of my sons may have gotten a bit carried away." The voice said. A cup was pushed into his hands. "This should make you feel better."

Captain Stewart drank the contents of the cup and did feel immediately better. "Where's Walker?"

"If you mean your companion, he is resting in my room. He is fine."

The captain's vision began to clear, and he looked up to see who was addressing him. If he was shocked to see a giant rat standing in front of him, he didn't show it.

"Now." The rat said, sitting in an armchair opposite him. "I was wondering – what is it you were doing down here? Were you looking for us?"

"Yes."

"May I ask why?"

The captain looked around. "I will tell you…but first, you mentioned sons? May I meet them?"

"Hai." The rat agreed calmly. He turned around and called sharply. "Leonardo! Raphael! Donatello! Michelangelo! To me, please!"

Captain Stewart watched as four turtles wearing four different colors filed into the room and knelt in a line in front of their apparent father.

"My sons." Splinter said, then calmly introduced each of them. When each turtle's name was said, he would give a small bow of the head, except for the red wearing one, who continued to glare at him.

Once his sons were introduced, Splinter folded his hands in his lap. "Now, Captain, if you would please tell us why you were seeking us out?"

Captain Stewart looked at Splinter, then straight at Donatello. "We want him."

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "You want Donatello?"

"Yes." Stewart said, "You see, I am part of something called the International Fleet. It is very secret – more secret even than the CIA. We deal with…how would you put it…otherworldly dealings, if you get my drift."

"You mean, aliens?" The one called Michelangelo piped up.

Stewart looked at him. "Something like that." He returned his gaze to Splinter. "We sent out a game, over the internet. It was sent to over one thousand promising people. Only five made it to the upper levels. Only one person actually beat it. And that person was your son. Donatello."

"I do not understand." Splinter said politely. "What does this internet game have to do with my son?"

"It was a recruitment game, for the International Fleet. The best of our best have only ever gotten to the third to last level. Your son beat it. That's unheard of."

"You want my son to go with you." It wasn't a question.

"Well, yes." Stewart explained. "The International Fleet really needs someone like him. The things we could accomplish with him helping are staggering."

"Donatello?" Splinter addressed his son. "What do you think of all this?"

"I would have to leave here?" Don asked, looking up at the Captain on the couch.

"Yes, the Training School…well, the location is secret. But it's very far from here. Not on this planet." The captain admitted.

"Not on this planet?" Don gasped. "No. No way. I'm not going to leave my planet!"

"Donatello, you don't understand!" The captain protested. "We need you!"

"I don't care! I'm not going!"

"If I may make a suggestion." Splinter's mild voice cut into the conversation. "If you would allow me to speak with my son, alone?"

Stewart looked as if he were about to protest, then reluctantly nodded.

"Excellent." Splinter said. "Donatello, if you would follow me, please."

Splinter guided his son into the dojo, and shut the door behind them. "Donatello…while I understand you do not wish to leave home, think of what an opportunity it could be for you."

"What do you mean, sensei?" Don asked, "I don't want to leave my brothers and you! I don't!"

"Listen to me Donatello. Do you remember when you were young, how much you and your brothers wanted to be among the humans; to be normal?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"No, listen. Donatello, you are being given the chance to be among people your own age, to interact with them. And, you might even do good for the human race. That was your dream, was it not?"

Don was silent, his gaze fixed onto the floor. Splinter was right. His dream was being fulfilled – but at the cost of being so far away from his family. Did they have telephones in space?

A warm hand cupped his chin, and he found himself looking into the eyes of his father. "No matter what you decide, my son, remember, I will always be proud of you."

"Thank you…father." Don said. "I think I've made my decision."

"Then let us go and tell our visitors." Splinter said, leading the way back to the living room.

Captain Stewart had been joined by his companion, Sergeant Walker while Splinter and Don were conversing in the dojo.

"Have you decided?" Stewart asked.

"I…I have." Don said. His brothers looked at him expectantly.

"I'll go with you." Don said softly.

"Donnie!" Mikey protested, grabbing his brother's arm. "We don't know when we might ever see you again!"

"I know, Mike." Don said, gently prying his brother off. "But this might be my only chance to make a difference – to do some good."

Leo stepped forward and put a hand on Don's shoulder. "We'll support you, Don. We're all proud."

Don smiled. "Thanks, Leo." Don's smile faded as he took notice of Raph, arms crossed and surly in the corner. "Raph?"

"Yeah, just go, Donnie. Go and play with the humans. Have fun."

"Raphael!" Splinter commanded sharply, but the hot-tempered turtle had already disappeared into his room.

"Don't worry about him, Donnie." Mikey said, putting an arm around Don's shoulders. "He's just gonna miss ya."

"Yeah. Tell him I said goodbye." Don said. He looked around at his family, and gave each of them a hug, including Splinter. "I'm going to miss all of you. I'll write as soon as I get there, okay?" Leo and Mikey nodded, no longer able to speak.

"You will be in our thoughts, my son." Splinter said.

Captain Stewart stood, joined by Sergeant Walker. The captain put a hand on Donatello's shoulder. "Are you ready? Do you want to pack anything?"

"No, there's nothing to pack." Don sighed.

"Wait, Donnie!" Mikey said, coming forward and clutching a frame. He handed it to Don.

Don turned the frame over. In it was their family picture that April had been nice enough to take for them. Leo and Raph stood with their arms around each other, in a rare display of peace between them. Next to them stood Splinter, his usual serene expression on his face. Don was kneeling below them, smiling, and next to him was Mikey, an idiotic grin on his face.

"Thanks, Mikey." Don said softly. Mike just smiled.

"We'd better go." Walker suggested. "The shuttle leaves tomorrow."

Don looked over his family one more time. "Tell Raph I said goodbye, and I'll miss him." He said again. "I love all of you."

"Don't forget to write to us." Leo said softly.

"I won't." Walker placed a hand on Don's shoulder, and they walked out the door together. And then Don was gone.


End file.
